First Move
by vomit-klainbows
Summary: "Inara Serra was not going to make the first move. It would be a wound to her pride, as well as break every rule she had ever been taught." Tying up the loose-ends the movie rewarded us with. Mal/Inara.


**First Move**

Inara Serra was not going to make the first move. It would have been a wound to her pride, as well as break every rule she had ever been taught. Somehow, it made it okay as long as it was Mal who started it. But Mal was scared.

They both knew they were attracted to each other, there was no question about that. Malcolm Reynolds was afraid of being romantically involved with a Companion.

He was also afraid that she would reject him because of said occupation, and he wouldn't be able to convince her that it was fine.

So, a month after Miranda, Mal dropped Inara off at the training house. Kaylee had tried to convince him otherwise; they would all miss her, and now that neither she nor Simon had much time to give River, the girl could use a female influence other than a grieving Zoe.

But after what Mal said about her fogging things up, Inara decided it would be best to leave. If neither of them were going to do anything about that "gorram sexual tension," as Jayne would so bluntly put it, then she might as well go. Nothing was going to happen anytime soon, if ever.

After only a few days at the training house, Inara was feeling lonely. The girls were entertained by her stories about the man they called among themselves "Miss Inara's Pirate." Inara pitied them, actually. They had these romantic ideas of what their lives were going to be like. They were wrong. They would act out loveless lives, entertaining the elite men and women of the worlds. If they were lucky, they wouldn't fall in love like Inara had. If they were even luckier, they would fall in love with a rich man who could afford to keep them as a concubine. Maybe they would have children. That scenario only happened to one in two hundred Companions. All in all, they would live sad, loveless lives behind veils of beauty and social acceptability.

The life of a Companion is neither good nor glamorous. If it were possible, Inara would have resigned in a second. In truth, she missed Serenity and her crew as well as Mal. She missed the sound of Kaylee chasing River around the cargo bay, trying to retrieve her apple. They were both so young, emotionally if not physically. Kaylee was sensitive, Inara was glad Simon had finally gathered the courage to tell her how he felt without screwing up. Of course, they had been about to die, but it had led to good things. Hell, they would probably be having kids within two years. River would just love that.

Inara waved Kaylee on the third day. They had a casual conversation. Kaylee talked about Simon and River, but mostly Simon. Inara didn't speak much, she just listened. They discussed the possibility of a visit for Kaylee's birthday, and ended the call with the promise to set a date.

By the fifth day, Inara was becoming a little depressed. One of the girls had just received a proposal of marriage from a boyfriend off world. She was leaving soon. Inara wished a similar thing had happened to her, before she got too involved.

At the end of the week, Inara gave in. She waved Mal.

He greeted her with a shirt on, this time, and a tired "Wha do ya wan'?"

"I want you to come pick me up," she said. That woke him up.

"What? Why?"

Don't ask why, just do it. Finish whatever job you're doing and come get me. Make it quick."

"You want us to jus' change directions an' come get you?"

Inara confirmed it.

"This isn't a trap like last time, is it?" Mal accused.

"Are we fighting?" Inara answered his question with one of her own.

"Well, yeah…"

"Then it's not a trap, or a trick," Inara said, "I'm resigning. And you're going to come and get me. When can I expect you?"

"In a few hours, but what? You're resignin'?" Mal was astonished, "You're quittin' your whorin'?"

"Well, that didn't take long," Inara sighed, "Yes, Mal, I am quitting my 'whoring.'"

"Okay, then. I'll see you."

They ended the wave.

When Mal came to pick Inara up, he didn't just bring her shuttle, he brought the whole ship. The entire crew came out to greet her.

"Mei mei!" Inara gave Kaylee a one-armed hug, as she was carrying a suitcase in the other.

Kaylee picked up one of the numerous items of luggage and beckoned to Simon to help them.

Mal stood in the cargo bay, right by the ramp. He was alone in doing so; River was wandering down the ramp, and Zoe and even Jayne had joined in with carrying the luggage.

Inara stopped just in front of Mal, and set her suitcase down. They stared at each other, not saying anything.

"God, this is suspenseful!" Inara heard Kaylee say quietly to Simon. "I wonder who's going to make the first move?"

"He is," Simon replied, "That is, if he wants anything to happen. In society, it's proper for the man to do it, and Inara was brought up with those ideals."

Kaylee shrugged.

Mal cleared his throat. Inara won the stare-down.

"So, you got everythin'?" Mal asked awkwardly.

"Yes, and I've said my goodbyes to everyone."

"Can we go now?" Jayne asked, biting into an apple he had impaled on his knife.

"Yes, Jayne," Mal said.

Inara stepped off the ramp, and into the cargo bay. She was back on_ Serenity_. Everything was right again. Nearly.

Mal entered Inara's shuttle uneasily. She had, of course, only taken an hour to unpack and make the place her own again. Kaylee helped. River had wanted to, but now that Wash was gone, she had to pilot the ship. The engine was running smoothly, thanks to some new parts they had received after Miranda, so Kaylee was free.

Inara was sending a wave to Petaline, who was now running the Heart of Gold. Things seemed to be going smoothly. Mal waited until they were finished talking.

"And, as usual, he doesn't knock," Inara turned to face him, "It's good to be back."

"It's good to… have you back," Mal looked at the floor.

Inara stood and they both sat down on the orange seats she usually reserved for clients.

"We have some things to discuss," she said.

"Yeah, like how the hell you plan on paying for this shuttle without a job," Mal interrupted.

"I'm not," she said, "you're going to give it to me. I'll help you with your petty thieving, and you give me the shuttle."

Mal nodded, frowning. The truth was, he was open to anything that would keep her on board. Now that she, Simon, and River were no longer paying their passage, they would have to start running some higher paying jobs. And those required a certain respectability. Inara Serra was that. Not to mention the emotional reasons.

"Okay," he said, "works for me."

"We need to talk about more than just the practicality of me being here," Inara continued seriously.

"I regret it, if that's what you want to know," Mal said quietly, "Sleeping with Nandy. I know you weren't glad of it, even if you said you were."

Now they were getting somewhere.

Inara nodded.

"Remember when you accidentally got married?" Mal winced at her words, "and I said that I tripped and hit my head when I got knocked out?"

"Yeah, but you'd actual kissed-" he started to say, then Inara cut him off,

"I didn't kiss Saffron, Mal," she said, "If I had, I wouldn't have covered it up."

"But you didn't hit your head, so…"

"I kissed you, Mal." Inara couldn't believe that even Captain Tight Pants could be that stupid. "I found you unconscious at the foot of the ladder to your bunk. I don't know what made me do it." She put a hand over her face.

"Do you regret it?" Mal asked softly.

"I regret the headache afterwards," she smiled.

"Are you saying…"

"Yes, Mal."

"Well, while we're being all truthsome, why don't you tell me why you decided to come back?"

Inara sighed.

"I was lonely. The training house is depressing. All those girls, doomed to live lonely lives. And they think it'll be all romantic. So I quit."

"Sorry."

"It's alright. I'm back on _Serenity_, that's what counts," she smiled sadly.

"Why else did you leave?" Mal pried. She wasn't going to lie to him, and he knew it.

"I think we both know the answer to that, Mal," she said.

Mal considered this, looking into her eyes. He suddenly leaned forward, pressing his lips firmly against hers. She responded to the kiss, putting one hand on the back of his neck, and the other on his back. He wrapped his arms around her in response, deepening the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, it was only for lack of air. Inara rested her forehead on Mal's. They were sitting much closer to each other than they had been at the beginning of the conversation.

"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that," she said breathlessly.

"If it's half as long as I have, then you're sadly mistaken," Mal replied, laughing lightly.

They sat there giggling for a few moments. Mal spoke up first.

"'Nara?"

"Yes?"

"I love you," he said slightly worriedly, like she was going to reject him.

"I know," she said, "I love you, too."

He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Yes, everything was right.


End file.
